Family gears up for children’s consignment sale

Published 3:30 am, Friday, February 6, 2015

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Family gears up for children’s consignment sale

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Natalie and Chris Nolen know how expensive it can be to buy clothing and necessities for a growing family. The Nolens are parents to six children — an 8-year-old, two 5-year-olds, a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old.

With three children, the Nolens felt called to be foster parents. They accepted a child to foster and soon welcomed the girl’s newborn brother. After the couple decided to adopt their two foster children, they learned Natalie Nolen was pregnant.

“We finalized our adoption Nov. 1, 2013 and then had our daughter Nov. 13, 2013,” Natalie Nolen said. “It’s been a crazy couple of years, but we wouldn’t change it for anything.”

The Nolens are hoping to help other Midland parents by offering discounted children’s clothing and other items at Midland’s first Rhea Lana’s Consignment Sale.

“On Monday at the end of our event, we’ll open up our donated items to local foster families, so they’ll have a time to come in free of charge and take what they need for their families,” Nolen said. “After that everything will go to the Genesis Center.”

Rhea Lana’s hosts children’s consignment sales around the country. As franchise owners, the Nolens were given the opportunity to choose a local charity where they could donate unsold items.

“We were a foster family (and) we know the stress of not knowing what gender or what age child you might get at any point so you don’t always have the items you need,” Nolen said. “We would have loved that and we want to be able to do that for others.”

“We started looking at it because we know firsthand, especially with the rise in cost of living in Midland, it’s hard to clothe children, whether you have one or six like we do,” Nolen said. “It’s just really a wise way to shop.”

Nolen said the sale is also a way for families to make a little extra cash by selling their own gently used items. Consignors can register and input their items online before bringing them to the sale the day before it opens to the public. Rhea Lana’s pays consignors 70-80 percent of sales and consignors may choose to pick up or donate unsold items.

Items must in “great” condition. For this event, consignors are asked to bring spring and summer clothes. Baby furniture and gear is checked against recall notices to ensure the safety of items for sale.

“With the uncertainty of oil prices, everybody is looking for a way to make some money,” Nolen said. “And it’s something they can do at their home with their kids.”

Volunteers also are needed to set up, tear down and work the sale. Consignors and volunteers are invited to shop at a presale event. Rhea Lana’s does not charge admission to the event.

“All the decisions are made off of how we would want to be treated as a shopper or a consignor or a volunteer,” Nolen said. “We just want it to be a positive atmosphere. We just really feel like this can benefit families in our area.”